Tanker unloading system



Nov. 1, 1966 W. J. WALLACE, JR

TANKER UNLOADING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 19, 1960 Nov. 1, 1966 w. J. WALLACE, JR 3,282,445

TANKER UNLOADING SYSTEM Original Filed Aug 19. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 1, 1966 w. J. WALLACE, JR 3,282,445

TANKER UNLOADING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Aug. 19, 1960 INVENTOR. M

iii.

I I 1 l mu] Ilium v vII/II/I/IIIIII/IIIII V I I I I u I u I I 0 I m M 0 M I United States Patent M 3,282,445 7 TANKER UNLOADING SYSTEM Walter J. Wallace, Jr., Batavia, Ill., assignor to W. J. Wal- This application is a continuation of my co-pending application, Serial No. 329,841, filed December 11, 1963, now abandoned, which was a continuation of my application, Serial No. 50,657, filed August 19, 1960, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to the removing of undifferentiated bulk solid material from a mass of solid material and transferring the removed material to a new location spaced from the mass of solid material from which the material is removed.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and advantageous method of digging undifferentiated solid material from a mass of solid material, suspending the solid material, and bearing the suspended material to a location spaced from the mass of solid material from which solid material is removed.

Another object is to provide a novel method of handling solid material, which employs an endless, flexible train of buckets in a novel and highly advantageous mannor to dig undifferentiated solid material from a mass of solid material, suspend independently of the mass of solid material the material dug from the mass of solid material, and to bear the suspended material to a location spaced from the mass of solid material.

Another object is to provide new and highly advantageous solid material handling apparatus for digging undifferentiated solid material from a mass of solid material, suspending the removed material, bearing the suspended material away from the mass of solid material, and placing the removed material in a definite location spaced from the mass of solid material from which the material is removed.

Another object is to provide novel solid material handling apparatus which utilizes a flexible endless train of buckets in a novel manner and to great advantage to dig undifferentiated solid material from a mass of solid material, suspend the removed material, bear the removed mate-rial away from the mass of solid material, and dump the removed material in a definite location spaced from the mass of solid from which the material is removed.

Another object is to provide solid material handling apparatusof the character recited which functions in a new and improved manner to dig, suspend, and transfer solid material by means of a flexible endless train of buckets while at the same time being simplified to advantage by the elimination of structure and structural relationships previously used in endless bucket conveyors designed to dig, suspend, and transfer solid material.

Another object is to provide, for unloading fiowable unloading marine vessel for transporting and unloading sol-id material.

Another object is to provide, for unloading flowable solid material from a compartment through the top of the compartment, new and improved conveying apparatus which effects unloading of the material by means of an endless flexible conveyer element which is directed in a loading path through the compartment only by the tension in the conveyer element, the weight of that portion of the conveyer element which extends through the compartment, and the reaction on the conveyer element of the material being unloaded.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent 3,282,445 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 from the following description of the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is -a longitudinal sectional view of a tanker ship from which flowable solid materials are unloaded in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the tanker deck showing the relationship to a tank of means provided by the invention for unloading the tank;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the tanker taken along the line 4-4 .of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. '6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail view taken with reference to the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view taken with reference to the line 88 of FIG. 4 and illustrating the relationship of a control runner to the endless conveyer element of the unloading apparatus; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the vessel 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is typical of ocean going tanker ships designed to carry liquid cargo in a plurality of closed tanks 12 which underlie the deck 14 of the ship. Normally, the cargo tanks 12 extend from the deck 14 down to the bottom 16 of the ship.

Ordinarily, the only openings into a cargo tank 12 are a single manhole opening 18 and a plurality of much smaller Butterwor-t'h openings 20 through the tanker deck 14. The manhole opening 18 is usually about 36 inches in diameter and is circled by a cylindrical shroud or well element which extends upwardly a substantial distance, normally about three feet, above the tanker deck. The Butterworth openings 20 usually have a diameter of approximately 12 inches and are designed to permit entry to steam cleaning equipment and the like down into the underlying tanks.

The limited access provided to each tank 12 through a single protective manhole 18, and through a number of small Butterworth openings 20 is adequate in the service for which such tanker ships are designed, -i.e., the trans port of liquid cargo. 7

Even though tanker ships constructed in this manner are designed to carry only a liquid cargo, it 'has been recognized that many economic advantages could be realized by transporting nonliquid bulk materials in tankers which were not in service carrying liquids.

While many types of cargo cannot be loaded into the tanks of these ships, it is not difiicult to load the tanks with fl-owable solid materials, such for example, as grain, coal, cement, or other materials which have to a degree an ability to flow downhill so as to assume an angle of repose when placed in a :pile. All such materials have to a degree an ability to flow in the same manner as loose sand, and for convenience in description in this application will be referred to as flowable solid materials.

While the loading of such flowable solid materials into a tanker ship presents no particular problem, the unloading of the materials through the limited access openings in the tops of the tanks has been so impractical as to make it economically unfeasib-le to transport most materials of this character in tanker ships.

Because of unloading problems, about the only solid material which has been transported successfully in tanker ships is grain. It is possible to unload grain by means of suction equipment which is extended down into the tanks through the small access openings. This has been accomplished where special pneumatic unloading equipment is available at the dock, and has also been accomplished by portable suction equipment which is applied to tankers in port.

This expedient of unloading flowable solid materials from tankers has not only been limited as a practical matter to the unloading of grain, but is accompanied by many serious disadvantages. Ordinarily, such unloading operations are quite slow and expensive. Moreover, the unloading operation usually causes a severe contamination of the atmosphere with dust, creating unhealthful working conditions for the personnel and sometimes leading to hazardous conditions.

In accordance with the invention, fiowable solid materials are unloaded from tanker ships in an improved manner which effects a rapid and extremely efficient unloading of substantially any flowable solid material through the conventional access openings in the tops of the individual tanks.

This is accomplished, as illustrated in the drawings, by circulating an endless flexible conveyer element through a tank to be unloaded in a manner such that a freely depending run of the flexible conveyer element entering a tank through one Butterworth opening and leaving the tank through another Butterworth opening is effectively loaded with'the flowable solid material carried in the tank, merely as an incident to the application of tension forces to the run of the conveyer element which depends into the tank and without the necessity for otherwise supporting or guiding the conveyer run extending into the tank.

Having reference to the drawings, the portable tanker unloading apparatus provided by the invention and applied to the tanker ship comprises a first pillow block or bracket 24 which is adapted to be mounted on the tanker deck 14 adjacent a Butterworth opening 2!) overlying one side of a tank 12 to be unloaded. As shown, the pillow bracket 24 has :a circular, laterally projecting base 26 adapted to encircle the underlying Butterworth opening and defining apertures 28 which receive stud bolts 30 projecting upwardly from the deck 14 in encircling relation to the opening 20. The bolts 30 are normally used to hold in place a cover (not shown) for the Butterworth opening. They form convenient means for bolting the pillow bracket 24 to the deck.

The pill-ow bracket 24 provides rotary support to a pair of spaced coaxial sprocket wheels 32 adapted to support an endless conveyer carrier element 34, as will be presently described. A swingable brace 36 of adjustable length engages the deck 14, as shown in FIG. 6, to support the pillow bracket 24 against the reaction of horizontal force in the carrier 34, as will presently appear.

A second pillow block or pillow unit 38 is designed to be secured to the tanker deck 14 in coacting relation to a second Butterworth opening 20 which has a horizontal spacing from the previously mentioned opening 20 coacting with the pillow bracket 24, which is equal to a major portion of the corresponding horizontal dimension of the underlying tank 12.

' Thus, the pillow unit 38 includes an annular base 40 adapted to encircle an underlying Butterworth opening 20 and receive deck clamping bolts 42 which extend upwardly from the periphery of the opening. In this manner, the pillow blocks or pillow units 24, 38 are applied to two tanker deck openings spaced a substantial distance apart and opening downwardly into a common tank 12.

As shown, the pillow unit 38 comprises a heavy uptight housing 44 which is oriented to extend toward the other pillow unit 24, and which, as shown, is braced by an auxiliary adjustable support 46 engaging the deck 14. A spaced pair of coaxial sprocket wheels 48 are journaled on an axle 58 in the upper portion of the housing 44.

A flexible bucket conveyer element 52, comprising a plurality of spaced conveyer buckets 54 supported on the previously mentioned endless carrier 34, is trained over the two pairs of sprocket wheels 32, 48, to form an upper conveyer run 56 extending between the two pillow units 24, 38, and to define a lower conveyer run 58 which depends from the sprocket wheel 32, 48 down through the two underlying Butterworth openings 20 to tend to form a catenary curve hanging below the tanker deck 14. Thus, it will be evident that the wheels 32 and 48 support the lower conveyer run 58 suspended between the wheels 32 and 48.

In the present instance, the endless carrier 34 is formed by a pair of similar sprocket chains, each designated by the number 34, which are trained over the respective wheels of the pairs of sprocket wheels 32, 48. The conveyer buckets 54 are supported between the endless sprocket chains 34, as shown. Each bucket 54 has a bottom and a continuous peripheral sidewall 57 adjoining the bottom and defining for the bucket an open end 59 opening away from the bottom 55 outwardly in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the carrier 34. See FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 9.

The links of the sprocket chains 34 have a conventional construction which permits ready disconnection and re connection of the links to provide for the addition of links and buckets as necessary to produce any desired length in the endless conveyer element 52. As will presently appear, the conveyer element 52 is lengthened in successive steps as the pile of material in the underlying tank 12 is lowered, in the course of the unloading process;

The conveyer element 52 is circulated through a closed course by means of a pair of driving sprocket wheels 60 journaled in the conveyer unit 38 below the sprocket wheels 48. The sprocket wheels 60 are powered, in the present instance, by an electric motor 62, FIG. 5, which operates through gearing 64 on the pillow unit housing 44 to rotate a shaft 66 that turns the wheels 60.

It will be noted, with reference to FIG. 6, that the sprocket wheels 60 are located below and in somewhat underlying relation to the sprocket wheels 48, so that the short run 68 of the endless carrier 38, moving from the wheels 48 to the wheels 60 extends back under the wheels 48, as shown. This provides compactness in the construction of the pillow unit 38, while at the same time providing for inversion and dumping of the buckets 54 on that portion of the endless carrier 34 passing over the wheels 48 and extending down toward the wheels 60. The wheels 60, positioned in relation to the wheels 48 as described and as shown in FIG. 6, serve to depress the adjacent portion of the endless carrier 38 so that the short run or running segment 68 of the carrier 38 extends steeply downwardly from the upper portions of the periphery of the wheels 48 to the lower portion of wheels 60. It will be understood that the conveyer element 52 is circulated in a counterclockwise direction with reference to FIG. 4 to lift the loaded buckets 54 up to the pillow unit 48 where they are unloaded. Hence, with reference to the drawings, the wheels 48 support the dynamically rising end of the lower conveyer element run 58, in which a running portion of the conveyer element 52 rises toward said wheels 48, and the wheels 32 support the dynamically descending end of the lower conveyer element run 58, in which a running portion of the conveyer element 52 descends from said wheels 48. Circulation of the conveyer element 52 in the direction described causes the loaded buckets 54 passing over the top of the wheels 48 to pass immediately into the short run 68 of the course of the buckets in the upper run 56 of the conveyer element. For convenience in description, the short run 68 referred to will be designated as the bucket unloading segment of the upper conveyer element run 56. Movement of the loaded buckets 54 into the bucket unloading segment 68 of the upper run turns the buckets to open downwardly and empties the buckets of solid material.

Inversion of the conveyer buckets 54 passing through the pillow unit 38 dumps the material being unloaded from the buckets into an unloading station 70 in the pillow unit, where it is directed onto a laterally extending transfer auger 72. A support member 76 for the material underlies the auger 72 in the pillow unit 38 and extends upwardly over the sprocket wheels 60, as shown in FIG. 6, to catch the material being discharged from the buckets. The auger 72 extends laterally away from a vertical medial plane through the support Wheels 32 and 48, FIGS. 5 and 6, and operates to transfer laterally away from said plane solid material dumped in said unloading station 70 by loaded buckets passing over said support wheels 48.

It will be understood that the material which is unloaded from the buckets 54 can be carried away from the pillow unit 38 in any suitable manner. The auger 72, shown for purposes of illustration, carries the material from the unit 38 across the deck 14 to a second auger 74 which carries the material over the side of the ship to any suitable conveying apparatus on the dock.

The manner in which the lower run 58 of the flexible conveyer element 52 operates in a tank 12 to load the buckets S4 with the material to be unloaded is especially significant. Supported at its opposite ends by the sprocket wheels 32, 48, the lower conveyer run 58 depends down through the two Butterworth openings 20 being used and tends to form a catenary curve between these openings, as previously intimated.

When the unloading operation begins, the tank 12 to be unloaded is ordinarily filled to a level near the deck 14. It will be understood that the conveyer element 52 is formed by conveyer buckets and carrier links which are secured together and threaded through the two Butterworth openings being used. Thus, buckets and carrier links are connected together to provide a conveyer element having a length sufficient to cause the lower run 58 of the carrier element to come into contact with the underlying pile of material to be unloaded along a substantial portion of the length of the lower conveyer run. As the conveyer buckets move through that portion of the lower conveyer run which is engaged and supported by the underlying pile of material, the buckets are dragged .through the material by tension in the conveyer element,

while being held in contact with the material by the weight of the buckets and the adjacent links of the carrier 34. The efiect of this is to fill the individual buckets with material as they move across the pile of material toward the pillow unit 38.

It has been found that the buckets are loaded very effectively with material in this manner, even though the lower run 58 of the conveyer element is completely free to move in any direction in the vertical plane of the conveyer element. Consequently, it is unnecessary to provide any supporting structure within the tank to coact with the lower run 58 of the carrier element in order to effectively fill the conveyer element buckets passing through the tank.

The removal of material by the conveyer element 52 tends to dig a trench in the pile of material being unloaded. However, the material, by virtue of its fiowable character, will of its own accord slide down toward this trench until the material on opposite sides of the trench has an angle of repose which is characteristic of the material. The angle of repose of the material lying on opposite sides of the conveyer element 52 as the material is unloaded is represented by the lines 80 in FIG. 3.

As the level of the material within the tank 12 is lowered, the conveyer element 52 is lengthened in successive steps by the addition of more buckets and carrier links. The successive additions to the length of the carrier element 52 as unloading progresses causes the lower run 58 of the carrier element to assume different positions which are identified for purposes of illustration by the numbers 58 to 58- in FIG. 4.

This unloading procedure progresses with great efiiciency and rapidity until the conveyer element 52 reaches the bottom of the tank 12. The material remaining in the tank 12 and lying on opposite sides of the conveyer element can be easily moved over to the path of the convey-er element 52 by auxiliary unloading apparatus, such, for example, as portable :augers of small size which can be lowered down in the tank through a manhole 18. This is a relatively simple operation which can be carried out by means of simple conveying and clean-up apparatus which need not be described here.

If desired, the amount of material which must be shifted by the clean-up apparatus can be reduced by swinging the conveyer run 58 laterally to opposite sides of its normal path, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

This is accomplished near the end of an unloading operation by use of a guide runner 86 which is applied to the carrier chains 34, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 8 and 9.

The guide runner, shown for purposes of illustration, comprises two U-sh-aped elements 88, 90 facing toward each other in embracing relation to the respective sprocket chains 34. These elements 88, 90 are connected together by a common bridge member 92 which is laterally otfset to provide clearance for the buckets 54. As shown, the elements 88, 90 are protected from Wear by means of inserts 94 which face the chains 34. These inserts can be formed of Teflon, or other wear-resistant mate-rial.

Tension elements 96 attached to the runner 86 can be used to swing the lower conveyer element run 58 from its normal position toward either of two laterally disposed positions, identified by the numbers 58 and 58 while the conveyor element continues to run freely through the runner. The lateral force applied by the runner 86* to the conveyer element run 58- to effect unloading of material located at either side of the normal position of the conveyer element does not rest-rain the lower run of the conveyer element against movement in any direction in the vertical plane of the conveyer element.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not necessarily limited to use of the particular apparatus illustrated, but includes the use of variants and alternatives within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A self unloading marine vessel,

comprising the combination of a flotation hull having wall means therein defining a cargo space for holding solid material,

a deck on said hull overlying said cargo space and having first and second horizontally spaced openings therein,

an endless flexible conveying element including an endless train of buckets each having a bottom and a continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom,

each bucket having an open end facing in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the conveying element,

first and second support Wheels,

first and second support means mounted on said deck journalling said respective support wheels for rotation about generally parallel and generally horizontal axes above said deck and adjacent said deck openings,

said endless flexible conveying element being trained over said first and second support wheels to have an upper run disposed above said deck and extending between said first and second support wheels and to to have a lower run extending downwardly from said second support wheel through said second deck opening into said cargo space and then curving upwardly and extending through said first deck opening to said first wheel,

power driving means interconnected with said flexible conveying element to circulate said conveying element in a predetermined direction to travel downwardly from said second wheel into said cargo space and then upwardly to said first wheel,

said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying element with the open ends of said buckets facing in the direction of travel,

a third wheel,

means journalling said third wheel above sadi deck for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axes of said first and second wheels,

said third wheel being positioned between said first and second wheels but closer to said first wheel,

said upper run of said endless conveying element being trained under said third wheel so that a running portion of the endless conveying element extends downwardly at a steep angle between said first and third wheels to invert and dump said buckets,

and solid material receiving means positioned above said deck adjacent said first wheel for receiving the material dumped fnorn said buckets,

the lower run of said conveying element being freely suspended between said first and second wheels and being spaced substantially away from said wall means of said cargo space for causing the buckets along means of said cango space for causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into the solid material solely by the gross weight of said conveying element and the tension therein,

the portion of said lower run disposed below said deck being free to flex and move vertically and horizontally in any direction so that said conveying element is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the the solid material in said cargo space as the conveying element is dragged along the solid material.

2. A self unloading marine vessel,

comprising the combination of a flotation hull having wall means therein defining a cargo space for holding solid mate-rial,

a deck on said hull overlying said cargo space and having first and second horizontally spaced openings therein,

an endless flexible conveying element including an endless train of buckets each having a bottom and a continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom,

each bucket having an open end facing in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the conveying element,

first and second support wheels,

first and second support means mounted on said deck and journalling said respective support wheels for rotation about generally parallel and generally horizontal axes above said deck and adjacent said deck openings,

said endless flexible conveying element being trained over said first and second support Wheels to have an upper run disposed above said deck and extending between said first and second support Wheels and to have -a lower run extending downwardly from said second support wheel through said second deck opening into said cargo space and then curving upwardly and extending through said first deck opento said first wheel,

power driving means interconnected with said flexible conveying element to circulate said conveying element in a predetermined direction to travel downwardly from said second wheel into said cargo space and then upwardly to said first wheel,

said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying element with the open ends of said buckets facing in the direction of travel,

conveying element depressing means mounted above said deck and located substantially below the level of the uppermost portion of said first wheel,

said depressing means being located between said first and second wheels but closer to said first wheel,

said upper run of said endless conveying element being trained under said depressing means so that a running portion of the endless conveying element extends downwardly at a steep angle between said first wheel and said depressing means to invert and dump said buckets,

and solid material receiving means positioned above said deck adjacent said first wheel for receiving the material dumped from said buckets,

the lower run of said conveying element being freely suspended between said first and second wheels and being spaced substantially away from said wall means of said cargo space for causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into the solid material solely by the gross weight of said conveying element and the tension therein,

at least the lower portion of said lower run constituting a major fraction thereof being free to flex and move vertically and horizontally in any direction so that said conveying element is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the solid material in said cargo space as the conveying element is dragged along the solid material.

3. A self unloading marine vessel,

comprising the combination of a flotation hull having wall means therein defining a cargo space for bolding solid material,

a deck on said hull overlying said cargo space and having first and second horizontally spaced openings therein,

an endless flexible conveying element including an endless train of buckets each having a bottom and a continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom,

each bucket having an open end facing in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the conveying element,

first and second support wheels,

first and second support means mounted on said deck and journalling said respective support wheels for rotation about generally parallel and generally horizontal axes above said deck and adjacent said deck openings,

said endless flexible conveying element being trained over said first and second support wheels to have an upper run disposed above said deck and extending between said first and second support wheels and to have. a lower run extending downwardly from said second support wheel through said second deck opening into said cargo space and then curving upwardly and extending through said first deck opening to said first wheel,

power driving means interconnected with said flexible conveying element to circulate said conveying element in a predetermined direction to travel downwardly from said second wheel into said cargo space and then upwardly to said first wheel,

said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying element with the open ends of said buckets facing in the direction of travel,

conveying element depressing means mounted above said deck and located substantially below the level of the uppermost portion of said first wheel,

said depressing means being located between said first and second wheels but closer to said first wheel,

said upper run of said endless conveying element being trained under said depressing means so that a running portion of the endless conveying element extends downwardly ata steep angle between said first wheel and said depressing means -to invert and dump said buckets,

solid material receiving means positioned above said deck adjacent said first wheel for receiving the material dumped from said buckets,

the lower run of said conveying element being suspended solely between isaid first and second wheels and being spaced substantially away from said wall means of said cargo space for causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into the solid material solely by the gross weight of said conveying element and the tension therein,

a guide member slidably engaging said endless conveying element below said deck but above the level of the solid material in said cargo space, and a pair a mass of solid material, removing solid material therefrom, suspending the removed material, bearing the removed material away from the mass of solid material, and placing the removed material in loose form in a location spaced from said mass of solid material,

of tension elements extending laterally in opposite directions from said guide member for displacing said guide member laterally from the plane of said first and second support wheels,

said upper run of said endless conveying element being trained under said third wheel so that a running portion of said endless conveying element extends downwardly at a steep angle between said first and third wheels to invert and dump said buckets,

and solid material receiving means positioned adjacent said first wheel for receiving the material dumped from said buckets,

the lower run of said conveying element being freely suspended between said first and second wheels for said apparatus comprising the combination of an endless flexible conveying element including an endless train of buckets each having a bottom and an efiectively continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the botsaid conveying element there-by being displaced laterally 10 tom, A.

within said cargo space, each bucket having an open end faclng in a direction at least the lower portion of said lower run constitutgenerally parallel to the adjacent portion of the ing a major fraction thereof being free to flex and conveying element, move vertically and horizontally in any direction so first and second support wheels journalled for rotation that aid conveying element i entirely fr to onabout generally parallel and generally horizontal axes form itself to the shape of the solid material in Whi h are Spaced apart horizontally by an amount said cargo space as the conveying element is dragged XC eding the diameter of each of said wheels, along the solid mate-rial, said endless flexible conveying element being trained 4, Solid material handling apparatus for digging into over said first and second support wheels to have an a mass of solid material, removing solid material therepper run extending therebetween and a lower run from, suspending the removed material, bearing the resuspended betWeen Sa1d Wheels, moved material away from the mass of solid material, and Said lower l'llIl having suhstahtlahslack and eXtehdlhg placing the removed material in loose form in a location alon (furl/ed P h' n ld Wh ls, spaced fro aid ma f olid mat i l, power dIlVlIlg means 1nter connected w1th saldflexlble said apparatus comprising the combination of an endlf g elemhht t0 OOIIVFYmg less flexible conveying element including an endless the-ht a Predfitefmihed dlfcctloh aXthhdlhg htrain of buckets each having a bottom and a con- WafdlY from Said Second Whefil and p y t0 Sald tinuous peripheral side Wall adjoining the bottom, first Wheel, each bucket having an open end facing in a direction Said buckets helhg Orlehted 831d ehdless cohveylhg generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the conh t h the p finds 531d buckets faclhg veying element, in the dlrectron of travel,- first and second support wheels journalled for rotation cohvfiylng element depfesslhg means located between b t generally n l d generally h i l said first and second wheels but closer to said first aXeS which are spaced apart horizontally by an wheel and substant ally below the level of the upperamount exceeding the diameter of each of said Ih0$t POftIOIl 0t first Wheel, wh l said upper nm of said endless conveying element being said endless flexible conveying element being trained tliailwd uhdfif Said depressing 111521115: that a over said first and second sup-port wheels to have an hlhg 'P th@ Endless cohveylhg elemeht upper run t di therebetween d a lower run tends downwardly at a steep angle between said first suspended b t id h d 40 wheel and said depressing means to lnvert and dump said lower run having substantial slack and extending 531d huckets,

along a curved h betwegn i wheels, and solid material receiving means positioned ad acent power driving means interconnected with said flexible sald t Wheel for Tecelvlhg the matellal dumped conveying element to circulate said conveying elefrom Sald buckets; ment in a predetermined direction extending downthe lower run 531d ctmveylhg e1hfheht hclhg freely Wardly from said second wheel and upwardly to said 0 susphh'ded between Sald first and C Hd Wheels for fi h causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying the m of Solid material solely by the gross weight element with the open ends of said buckets facing of 531d wnveymsehment and the tehSlOIl therelh, i th di i of travel, the lower run of said endless conveying element being a third wheel journalled for rotation about an axis genfree and move vfil'tically h horizontally in erally parallel to the axes of said first and second P3 dlrectlon so that y -g element 18 h l tirely free to conform itself to the shape of the mass said third wheel being positioned between said first and Sohd mammal as the conveymg element 15 dragged second wheels but closer to said first wheel, therealong- 6. Solid material handling apparatus for digging into a mass of solid material, removing solid material therefrom, suspending the removed material, bearing the removed material away from the mass of solid material, and placing the removed material in loose form in a location spaced from said mass of solid material,

said apparatus comprising the combination of an endless flexible conveying element including an endless train of buckets each having a bottom and a continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom,

causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into g z gfi 2321 5 i g g g. in l g the mass of solid material solely vby the gross Weight 5 g 0 6 J Ce por Ion e conof Said conveying element and tension i first second support Wheels journalled for rotation the lower run said endless conveymg elefnent bell-{g about generally parallel and generally horizontal axes free to flex and move vert1cally and horizontally in any direction so that said conveying element is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the mass of solid material as the conveying element is dragged therealong.

5. Solid material handling apparatus for digging into which are space-d apart horizontally by an amount exceeding the diameter of each of said wheels,

said endless flexible conveying element being trained over said first and second support wheels to have an upper run extending therebetween and a lower run suspended between said wheels,

said lower run having substantial slack and extending along a curved path between said wheels,

power driving means interconnected with said flexible conveying element to circulate said conveying element in a predetermined direction extending downwandly from said second wheel and upwardly to said first Wheel,

said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying element with the open ends of said buckets facing in the direction of travel,

a third wheel journalled for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axes of said first and second wheels,

said third wheel being positioned between said first and second wheels but closer to said first wheel,

said upper run of said endless conveying element being trained under said third wheel so that a running portion of said endless conveying element extends downwardly at a steep angle between said first and third wheels to invert and dump said buckets,

solid material receiving means positioned adjacent said first wheel for receiving the material dumped from said buckets,

the lower run of said conveying element being freely suspended between said first and second wheels for causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into the mass of solid material solely by the gross weight of said conveying element and the tension therein,

a guide member engaging the lower run of said endless conveying element below said second wheel but substantially above the lowermost portion of said lower run,

and means connected to said guide member for displacing said guide member laterally from the vertical plane of said first and second wheels,

said lower run of said conveying element thereby being displaced laterally,

at least the lower portion of said lower run constituting a major fraction thereof being free to flex and move vertically and horizontally in any direction so that said conveying element is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the mass of solid material as the conveying element is dragged along such mass. 7. Solid material handling apparatus for digging into a mass of solid material, removing solid material therefrom, suspending the removed material, bearing the removed material away from the mass of solid material, and placing the removed material in loose form in a location spaced from said mass of solid material,

said apparatus comprising the combination of an endless flexible conveying element including an endless train of buckets each having a bottom and a continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom, each bucket having an open end facing in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the conveying element, first and second support wheels journalled for rotation about generally parallel and generally horizontal axes which are spaced apart horizontally by an amount exceeding the diameter of each of said wheels, said endless flexible conveying element being trained over said first and second support Wheels to have an upper run extending therebetween and a lower run suspended between said wheels, said lower run having substantial slack and extending along a curved path between said wheels, power driving means interconnected with said flexible conveying element to circulate said conveying element in a predetermined direction extending downwardly from said second wheel and upwardly to said first wheel, said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying element with the open ends of said buckets facing in the direction of travel, a third wheel journalled for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the axes of said first and second wheels, said third wheel being positioned between said first and second wheels but closer to said first wheel, said upper run of said endless conveying element being trained under said third wheel so that a running portion of said endless conveying element extends downwardly at a steep angle between said first and third wheels to invert and dump said buckets, and solid material receiving means positioned adjacent said first wheel for receiving the material dumped from said buckets, said solid material receiving means including means for moving the dumped solid material laterally away from the vertical plane of said first and second support wheels, the lower run of said conveying element being freely suspended between said first and second wheels for causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into the mass of solid material solely by the gross weight of said conveying element and the tension therein, the lower run of said endless conveying element being free to flex and move vertically and horizontally in any direction so that said conveying element is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the mass of solid material as the conveying element is dragged thercalong. 8. Solid material handling apparatus for digging into a mass of solid material, removing solid material therefrom, suspending the removed matreial, bearing the removed material away from the mass of solid material, and placing the removed material in loose form in a location spaced from said mass of solid material,

said apparatus comprising the combination of an endless flexible conveying element including an endless train of buckets each having a bottom and a continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom,

each bucket having an open end facing in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the conveying element,

first and second support wheels journalled for rotation about generally parallel and generally horizontal axes which are spaced apart horizontally by an amount exceeding the diameter of each of said wheels,

said endless flexible conveying element being trained over said first and second support wheels to have an upper run extending therebetween and a lower run suspended between said wheels,

said lower run having substantial slack and extending along a curved path between said wheels,

power driving means interconnected with said flexible conveying element to circulate said conveying element in a predetermined direction extending downwardly from said second wheel and upwardly to said first wheel,

said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying element with the open ends of said buckets facing in the direction of travel,

bucket unloading means located between said first and second wheels but closer to said first wheel to empty solid material from the loaded buckets passing over said first wheel,

and solid material receiving means positioned adjacent said bucket unloading means for receiving the material emptied from said buckets,

the lower run of said conveying element being freely suspended between said first and second wheels for causing the buckets along said lower run to dig into the mass of solid material solely by the gross weight of said conveying element and the tension therein,

the lower run of said endless conveying element being free to flex and move vertically and horizontally in any direction so that said conveying element is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the mass of solid material as the conveying element is dragged therealong.

9. Solid material handling apparatus for digging into a mass of solid material, removing solid material therefrom, suspending the removed material, bearing the removed material away from the mass of solid material, and placing the removed material in loose form in a location spaced from said mass of solid material,

generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the conveyin g element,

a receptacle including wall means for holding a mass of solid material,

first and second support wheels journalled for rotation about generally parallel and generally horizontal axes which are spaced apart horizontally by an amount said apparatus comprising the combination of an endless flexible conveying element including an endless exceeding the diameter of each of said wheels, said wheels being located above said receptacle, said endless flexible conveying element being trained train of buckets each having a bottom and a con Over said first and second support wheels to have an tinuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom, upper r-un extending therebe'tween and a lower run each bucket having an open end facing in a direction suspended between said wheels,

generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the eonsaid IOWCI' run having substantlal slack and extending veying element, 1 downwardly mto said receptacle along a curved path a receptacle including wall means for holding a mass hfitweehald of olid m te i l, power dI'lVlIlg means interconnected with said flexible first and second support wheels journalled for rotation ying element to circulatesaid conveying eleabout generally parallel and generally horizontal ment In a predetermined dlfectlon 'eXtendlng haxes which are spaced apart horizontally by an wardly from 531d Second Wheel and p y t0 531d amount exceeding the diameter of each of said first Wh wh l said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying said wheels being located above said receptacle, e1emht W the p ends of Said buckets facing in said endless flexible conveying element being trained the dh'ectloh of travel,

over id fi t d second upport h l t h an a third wheel journalled for rotatlon about an axis upper r e t ndi th b t d a lower run generally parallel to the axes of said first and second suspended between said wheels, said lower run having substantial slack and extending Said thll'd Wheel belhg Posltlohed hetWBeIl 831d fi t and downwardly into said receptacle along a curved path Second Wheels but closel' t0 531d first Wheel, between i h l said upper run of said endless conveying element being power driving means interconnected with said flexible tfaihed h said third Wheel 30 that a running P conveying element to circulate id conveying 1 t1on of said endless conveying element extends downment in a predetermined direction extending downwardly at Steep angle between Sald fir and third wardly from said second wheel and upwardly to said wheels to Invert and p Said buckets, fi st Wheel, solid material receiving means positioned adjacent said said buckets being oriented on said endless conveying Wheel for receiving the material dumped from element with the open ends of said buckets facing in Sald buckets, h di i f travel, a guide member engaging said endless conveying elea third wheel journalled for rotation about an axis genmeht belQw Said Wheel but above t l v l erally parallel to the axes of said first and second 40 of the Sohd materlal 1h Sald receptacle, wheels, and means connected to said guide member for shifting said third wheel being ,positioned between said first i guide member lly and thereby displacing and second wheels but closer to said first wheel, sald lower run of i conveying element laterally said upper run of said endless conveying element being from the Plane t 531d t and Second h trained under said third wheel so that a running porthe lower T1111 of said pnv ymg element being freely tion of said endless conveying element extends down- Supended between szfld first and Second Wheels n wardly at a steep angle between said first and third being spaced substantially away from said wall means wheels to invert and dump Said buckgtsa of said receptacle for causing the buckets along said and solid material receiving means positioned adjacent lower i to dlg l the mammal solely by the said first wheel for receiving the material dumped gross Weight of sand conveymg element and the from said buckets, S1011 therelh, the lower run of said conveying element being freely at .least the.lower plmlon of sald .lower run consmut' suspended between said first and second wheels and mg a l fractlon threof bentg free f and being spaced substantially away from said wall means move t a honzontallly any dlrecnon so of said receptacle for causing the buckets along said that sald conveymg element 18 entlrely free to lower run to dig into the solid material solely by the gross weight of said conveying element and the tension therein,

the lower run of said endless conveying element being form itself to the shape of the mass of solid material in said receptacles as the conveying element is directed along said mass.

11. A method of digging solid material from a mass thereof, suspending the solid material, and bearing the suspended material to a location spaced from the mass of solid material,

said method comprising the steps of providing an endless train of buckets,

providing first and second horizontally spaced support wheels having parallel and horizontal axes,

training said endless train of buckets around said support wheels to provide a lower run of buckets extending along a freely hanging curve between said free to flex and move vertically and horizontally in any direction so that said conveying element is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the mass of solid material in said receptacle as the conveying element is dragged along such mass. 10. Solid material handling apparatus for digging into a mass of solid material, removing solid material therefrom, suspending the removed material, bearing the removed material away from the mass of solid material, and placing the removed material in loose form in a location spaced from said mass of solid material, 7 l

i apparatus compn'sing the combination of an circulating said endless train of buckets around said less flexible conveying element including an endless Wheels,

train of buckets each having a bottom and a continuous peripheral side wall adjoining the bottom, each bucket having an open end facing in a direction engaging said lower run of buckets with a mass of solid material and thereby dragging the lower run of buckets along the solid material,

emptying the buckets adjacent said first wheel,

and continuously maintaining said lower run of buckets in a freely suspended condition for free flexing movement in all horizontal and vertical directions and thereby causing the buckets to dig into the mass of solid material solely by the gross weight of said train of buckets and the tension therein,

whereby the train of buckets is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the solid material as the buckets are dragged along the mass of solid material.

12. A method of digging solid material from a mass thereof, suspending the solid material, and bearing the suspended material to a location spaced from the mass of solid material,

said method comprising the steps of providing an endless train of buckets,

providing first and second horizontally spaced support wheels having parallel and horizontal axes, training said endless train of buckets around said support wheels to provide a lower run of buckets extending along a freely hanging curve between said wheels, circulating said endless train of buckets around said wheels, engaging said lower run of buckets with a mass of solid material and thereby dragging the lower run of buckets along the solid material, emptying the buckets adjacent said first 'wheel, continuously maintaining said lower run of buckets in a freely suspended condition for free flexing movement in all horizontal and vertical directions and thereby causing the buckets to dig into the mass of solid material solely by the gross weight of said train of buckets and the tension therein,

whereby the train of buckets is entirely free to conform itself to the shape of the solid material as the buckets are dragged along the mass of solid material,

and laterally shifting said lower run of buckets rela tive to said support wheels and thereby moving said lower run of buckets laterally relative to the mass of solid material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 25,456 1/1915 Norway.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

R. G. SHERIDAN, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,282,445 November 1, 1966 Walter J. Wallace, Jr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 59, for "provide, for unloading flowable" read provide a new and improved self- Signed and sealed this 5th day of September 1967.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Offioer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

4. SOLID MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS FOR DIGGING INTO A MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL, REMOVING SOLID MATERIAL THEREFROM, SUSPENDING THE REMOVED MATERIAL, BEARING THE REMOVED MATERIAL AWAY FROM THE MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL, AND PLACING THE REMOVED MATERIAL IN LOOSE FORM IN A LOCATION SPACED FROM SAID MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF AN ENDLESS FLEXIBLE CONVEYING ELEMENT INCLUDING AN ENDLESS TRAIN OF BUCKETS EACH HAVING A BOTTOM AND A CONTINUOUS PERIPHERAL SIDE WALL ADJOINING THE BOTTOM, EACH BUCKET HAVING AN OPEN END FACING IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE ADJACENT PORTION OF THE CONVEYING ELEMENT, FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORT WHEELS JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION ABOUT GENERALLY PARALLEL AND GENERALLY HORIZONTAL AXES WHICH ARE SPACED APART HORIZONTALLY BY AN AMOUNT EXCEEDING THE DIAMETER OF EACH OF SAID WHEELS, SAID ENDLESS FLEXIBLE CONVEYING ELEMENT BEING TRAINED OVER SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORT WHEELS TO HAVE AN UPPER RUN EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN AND A LOWER RUN SUSPENDED BETWEEN SAID WHEELS, SAID LOWER RUN HAVING SUBSTANTIAL SLACK AND EXTENDING ALONG A CURVED PATH BETWEEN SAID WHEELS, POWER DRIVING MEANS INTERCONNECTED WITH SAID FLEXIBLE CONVEYING ELEMENT TO CIRCULATE SAID CONVEYING ELEMENT IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID SECOND WHEEL AND UPWARDLY TO SAID FIRST WHEEL, SAID BUCKETS BEING ORIENTED ON SAID ENDLESS CONVEYING ELEMENT WITH THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID BUCKETS FACING IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, A THIRD WHEEL JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND WHEELS, SAID THIRD WHEEL BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND WHEELS BUT CLOSER TO SAID FIRST WHEEL, SAID UPPER RUN OF SAID ENDLESS CONVEYING ELEMENT BEING TRAINED UNDER SAID THIRD WHEEL SO THAT A RUNNING PORTION OF SAID ENDLESS CONVEYING ELEMENT EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY AT A STEEP ANGLE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND THIRD WHEELS TO INVERT AND DUMP SAID BUCKETS, AND SOLID MATERIAL RECEIVING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID FIRST WHEEL FOR RECEIVING THE MATERIAL DUMPED FROM SAID BUCKETS, THE LOWER RUN OF SAID CONVEYING ELEMENT BEING FREELY SUSPENDED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND WHEELS FOR CAUSING THE BUCKETS ALONG SAID LOWER RUN TO DIG INTO THE MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL SOLELY BY THE GROSS WEIGHT OF SAID CONVEYING ELEMENT AND THE TENSION THEREIN, THE LOWER RUN OF SAID ENDLESS CONVEYING ELEMENT BEING FREE TO FLEX AND MOVE VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY IN ANY DIRECTION SO THAT SAID CONVEYING ELEMENT IS ENTIRELY FREE TO CONFORM ITSELF TO THE SHAPE OF THE MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL AS THE CONVEYING ELEMENT IS DRAGGED THEREALONG.
 11. A METHOD OF DIGGING SOLID MATERIAL FROM A MASS THEREOF, SUSPENDING THE SOLID MATERIAL, AND BEARING THE SUSPENDED MATERIAL TO A LOCATION SPACED FROM THE MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING AN ENDLESS TRAIN OF BUCKETS, PROVIDING FIRST AND SECOND HORIZONTALLY SPACED SUPPORT WHEELS HAVING PARALLEL AND HORIZONTAL AXES, TRAINING SAID ENDLESS TRAIN OF BUCKETS AROUND SAID SUPPORT WHEELS TO PROVIDE A LOWER RUN OF BUCKETS EXTENDING ALONG A FREELY HANGING CURVE BETWEEN SAID WHEELS, CIRCULATING SAID ENDLESS TRAIN OF BUCKETS AROUND SAID WHEELS, ENGAGING SAID LOWER RUN OF BUCKETS WITH A MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL AND THEREBY DRAGGING THE LOWER RUN OF BUCKETS ALONG THE SOLID MATERIAL, EMPTYING THE BUCKETS ADJACENT SAID FIRST WHEEL, AND CONTINUOUSLY MAINTAINING SAID LOWER RUN OF BUCKETS IN A FREELY SUSPENDED CONDITION FOR FREE FLEXING MOVEMENT IN ALL HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL DIRECTIONS AND THEREBY CAUSING THE BUCKETS TO DIG INTO THE MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL SOLELY BY THE GROSS WEIGHT OF SAID TRAIN OF BUCKETS AND THE TENSION THEREIN, WHEREBY THE TRAIN OF BUCKETS IS ENTIRELY FREE TO CONFORM ITSELF TO THE SHAPE OF THE SOLID MATERIAL AS THE BUCKETS ARE DRAGGED ALONG THE MASS OF SOLID MATERIAL. 